Aurora
by Miranda L. B
Summary: I had told him a million times before when he found me at the hospital, I wasn’t interested in becoming a part of his family. I just wanted to drop dead, or whatever it was that vampires did. “Everyone,” Carlisle Cullen called. “This is Emily."
1. February 13, 2005

**0. February 13, 2005**

It was mid-afternoon when I had decided to escape from the cabin and go for a walk. The dead leaves crunched beneath my feet as I walked slowly through the trees and took in the early evening air. I smiled at the scent of the trees and dry earth as it filled my lungs. The day was beautiful. Outside, there was no chilling February breeze, the air was still. Still enough that, if I thought about it long enough, it just might have scared me. It might have warned me.

I had to leave that cabin. The air in there was much too tense. My baby brother, Vincent, had been crying and Mom couldn't figure out why. That should have forewarned me too, but I wasn't thinking then either. And, of course, my little sister had another one of her 'feelings.' I could tell by the way she suddenly withdrew herself and coiled into a corner of the room. My dad tried to ask her what was wrong, but she wouldn't spill. At the time, I was getting tired of Alexi's creepy senses that I didn't care that it could have meant something.

I just wish I would have listened. I wish I would have cared that time.

I continued on my walk, taking slow but large steps further into the forest of green and brown. It was then that a breeze swept up behind me, tingling my spine and throwing my hair into an array of cocoa-brown tangles beside my cheek. Just how far had I wandered from the cabin? Maybe it was time to head back. Yes, it was definitely time to go.

The first step was slow, unsure, a bit frightened. The second was a bit more rushed and less grounded, a step that felt like someone had just pushed me. Step three, I started jogging, crumpling the brown leaves beneath my shoes. Four, I knew something was wrong as I jumped over large protruding roots of trees and ducked beneath branches on my way. My breathing became shorter, quicker. My legs started to burn; but all these things I ignored. Things I should have taken in. Things I should not have disregarded. But how was I to know that soon I would forget and miss knowing what these things felt like?

The cabin came into view, no visible signs of panic. I dared to question slowing down, realizing that I was probably getting worried over nothing. The stillness of the area told me otherwise. It was quiet. Yes, too quiet. Vincent wasn't crying; there was no sound whatsoever. The revelation scared me, and, with this new fear, I threw open the wooden door of the darkened room. In an attempt to keep myself from screaming, my hands flew to my mouth.

It was a sight no one deserved to see. A scene no one deserved to lay their eyes upon. I was scared. I was shaking. I could feel the hot tears as they glided down my cheek until they reached the fingers that had been covering my gaping mouth, where they slipped into the tiny crevice between my fingers and face. I stumbled back, tripping over my own feet and falling onto the floor. I wanted so badly to tear my eyes from the horrific display of bloodied bodies; two adults, two children. One family. However, as badly as I wanted to gauge my very eyes from their sockets and go on for the rest of my life blind, I could not look away.

How could this have happened? I was only gone from the cabin for no more than twenty minutes. Who could have killed four people so quickly? So…brutally?

A chill tingled up my spine as I heard something shift in the darkness of the room. I froze and stared with wide eyes into the black abyss. Whoever had killed my family was still there. I was next.

Those predatory crimson red eyes were the last thing I remembered staring back at me before the pain began.


	2. A New Life

**I. A New Life**

I had told him a million times before when he found me in the hospital, I wasn't interested in joining his little family. I just wanted to drop dead, or whatever it was that vampires did. But now, I stood in the vast living room of the Cullen mansion, waiting to be introduced to my soon-to-be siblings. I leaned my back against the grand piano, which he had said belonged to his son. I took a glance at the black sleekness of it and ran my fingers across the top. There was not a scratch on it.

"Everyone," Carlisle Cullen—the man who took me from the hospital after recognizing me as a damned bloodsucker—called to the five teenage-looking vampires who had entered the house just moments before. "I want you to meet someone. This is Emily."

I saw one of the girls—Alice Cullen, if I remembered correctly—glance at the youngest looking boy, Edward Cullen (again, if memory served), as if she telepathically told him, 'I told you so.' She probably did, because Edward was the one that could read minds, according to Carlisle. And Alice was the one that had visions, so if anyone knew I would be here it would be her. Other than that, Carlisle told me the only other person to know of my arrival was his wife, Esme, who I met this morning. It was quite a tale, actually, how I ended up at the Cullen residence in Forks, Washington in the first place. Considering I previously had lived in Fort Worth, Texas.

I couldn't remember much; it was all a strange daze. I remembered trees and a cabin; there was blood too—lots of it. Two adults, two children, and then there was me. Fifteen-year-old Emily Marie Cottrell. I could also recall a burning sensation that lasted three days—and a growing thirst for the iron taste of blood, nothing else. I walked; I ran—so incredibly fast that I couldn't believe it, the thirst growing all the while. I resisted as much as I could—no, 'resisted' was the wrong word. I _denied_ it. Somehow, fate landed me wandering around the Olympic Peninsula, where the thirst had become so great that I almost attacked the first human being upon sight. It was an elderly woman, and the scare gave her a heart attack. Her scream, however, jolted whatever miniscule humanity was left in me, and I stopped.

I was found in a catatonic state, so I was told. Carlisle said he recognized me as a vampire immediately, and took me as a patient personally. It took almost a week for me to regain 'consciousness,' the thirst already having turned into an irresistible craving. But I still did my best to deny it. The doctor said he was surprised that I had lasted that long against it, especially since I was a 'newborn.' I thought nothing of it. After all, by my philosophy, I only needed blood if I _thought_ I needed it. Things were only what I thought they were. Though, it was proven flawed, since that was what had landed me in Forks, Washington. I tried to disbelieve that oversized mosquito away. 'He only existed if I believed he existed.' And, being a practical teenager, I _knew_ vampires weren't real. Great job, Emily. Good game.

I hadn't realized that, in less than half a second, Alice was in front of me. She had a smile on her face, which I regarded as extremely beautiful. With a smile, a hug, and a peck to the cheek, Alice said to me, "Welcome to the family, Emily. I knew Carlisle had someone to introduce us to." It was when she took a step back after releasing me that I finally took a second to study her. In addition to her pearly white smile, she had sparkling golden eyes—the same as the rest of the family, but some were in different shades—and cropped, spiked hair in a jet black hue. Her frame was like that of a pixie, a description that I was sure she was used to, and she was shorter than my five-foot stature by a couple of inches. She reminded me of a picture straight from an Amy Brown archive.

Bringing myself back to reality, I lightly cleared my throat and also took a step back when she let go. "I'm sorry if I disappoint, but I'm not going to be a part of this family." I informed stubbornly.

"Nonsense," Alice said kindly, in a playful tone. A light giggle chimed from her throat. "I saw you coming."

"Carlisle said that not all of your visions are set in stone." I stated in a matter-of-fact tone. Carlisle and I had a long discussion about his family while I was still hospitalized. I just barely realized how interested I was in his family and their history. I suppose it was because it sounded like a strangely hypnotizing novel that I would enjoy reading back home. Things like this only happened in the books I read.

"But I have a good feeling about this one." Alice nodded.

'_At least someone in this room seems to…'_ I began to think before feeling Edward's eyes on me. He was giving me a berating look with his topaz eyes. There was something about him that I knew I wouldn't like. Something I could sense would often get in the way of us getting along. Maybe it would be the fact that he would be able to hear my most private thoughts, or maybe, in an odd case of events, we were actually very similar—too similar for our own good.

"At least give it a try." Alice brought me back from my thoughts. "It might be good for you. You're a vampire now, just like we are. And there's so much we can teach—!"

"I'm not a vampire." I said with narrowed eyes. My brows furrowed. "There are no such things as vampires."

"And I suppose you're a—..?" Edward questioned, purposely trailing off to allow me to finish the sentence on my own. "You're certainly no longer human."

"Prove it." was my childish response. I crossed my arms and huffed. I glowered at the boy, and if looks could kill then he would—wait a minute, he was a vampire. Dammit, those things don't just drop dead. They have to be ripped into shreds and burned. Why couldn't all those false myths about stakes and crosses be true? Though, I knew there were many ways Edward could prove me as a vampire. The way my once brown eyes were now a scarlet hue and how the human food I ate now tasted like dirt with each bite. The light tan I acquired from summers with Granma Cottrell in South Texas was fading into pale, pasty, marble-like skin. These were just a few details of many.

And now he was hearing every thought that crossed my mind. Sonofa—..! 'Hem, excuse me and my language. I sighed, knowing that he didn't have to prove it to me; it was quite self-evident. I also knew that it would be in my best interest to stay with this family, the Cullens. Especially if my growing thirst got out of hand. Carlisle said newborns were always thirsty, but I could probably keep it at bay the majority of the time with my stubbornness.

This, however, was something I could not afford to be stubborn about. With a sigh, I admitted defeat. "Fine," I settled. "I'll stay here."

"Excellent." Carlisle nodded. I saw him look to Alice, who in turn gave him a small wink. Like I had fallen into their plan exactly as they predicted. Well, exactly as Alice predicted. "I know you'd like to start school as soon as Monday," Carlisle said, interrupting my thoughts. "But I don't think it would be a wise decision given your condition."

"Wait, what?" I snapped back in less than a second. I _did_ want to go to school. Carlisle knew, as I had told him so, that back in Fort Worth I was in all honors classes and at the top of said classes. I wasn't a genius, I just didn't have anything better to do with my life.

"Well with your eyes the color they are, it isn't normal and may raise suspicion." He tried to reason. "It will take about a year for them to look remotely normal. There is also the question of your control as a newborn. I imagine even now that you're just about dying of thirst."

So maybe I was? "I'm not missing a year of school just because I'm a freak of nature!" I argued. I didn't mean the last bit, but I wasn't going to back down on going to school. "I _will_ graduate in the year that I'm supposed to!" And I put my foot down on that fact. I wasn't going to let being a newborn vampire get in the way of school. Carlisle would have to give up sometime.

"We'll think about it." Carlisle promised. "There's plenty of time." And every teenager knew that was parent code for 'Absolutely not.'

"Can't I just say they're contacts? And I'm not even thirsty!" I exclaimed, my stubbornness refusing to give way. When you grow up the oldest, having to share everything with two younger siblings, you have to adapt your own ways of getting what you want. Mine was arguing until I was blue in the face, no matter how many times the other party declared the discussion over, until they finally caved. I didn't always work, I'll admit. Half the time all it got me were a few grounded weekends, but I hardly thought Carlisle had enough authority as my 'father' already to do that just yet. Hell, we hadn't even decided if I would play a Cullen sibling or an estranged cousin whose mother died in a fire.

My thoughts were interrupted when Edward grumbled, "Can't you just be grateful that we're taking you in and not letting you run around, where you would probably get killed by another rouge vampire with more experience?" Okay, what was _his_ problem? I know I may have rubbed him the wrong way with my denial, but it was nothing to act this hostile over. Unless I just downright annoyed him. Either way, his remark had me on the fringe, and we found ourselves locked in a heated stare down.

"Jazz," I heard Alice say quietly to the blond male across the room. Jasper Hale sighed and put his talent to work. A calming air swept the room, the brunt of it seeming to hit Edward and I. I let out a relaxed sigh, forgetting my mental skirmish with the bronze-haired boy. When Carlisle told me of Jasper's ability, I thought it was the most awesome of the bunch he described. Being able to manipulate the emotions of an entire room of people was something worth merit. Visions of the future and mind-reading seemed a bit cliché, in my opinion.

"She likes your ability best, Jasper." Edward said as soon as he regained his composure. "Alice, she thinks ours are cliché." Just wait, I was going to teach him to stay out of my mind.

"Emily," Carlisle called. I looked to him as he smiled at me kindly. "I believe you haven't properly met them. That's Edward," he nodded towards my staring contest opponent. "Alice," he nodded in her direction. "Jasper," the blond male. "Emmett," a built, muscular, curly dark-haired man-child. "and Rosalie." the most astonishing woman I had ever seen.

Jasper and I, I hoped, would get along just fine. He had a muscular, but lean frame, and honey blond hair. He didn't look like a high school student, and his age probably proved me right—not his actual age, which was probably well over a hundred, but the age at which he was changed. Like me, that I would be stuck in the body of a fifteen-year-old for the rest of eternity, Jasper had to have been at _least_ twenty. Emmett Cullen was much bigger, but some look in his eyes gave off the impression of a playful kid. He had the grin to match. He looked too old for high school too, and my guess was that he was the same age as Jasper. But they had to be from different time periods, their physical features disclosed. His muscled arm was draped around the shoulders of Rosalie Hale, a beauty like I had never seen. She put Venus de Milo to shame. Her wavy, golden hair reached the middle of her back. She was so composed and graceful, much more than any supermodel. I wondered if, over time, I would become that gorgeous (I heard something of a stifled laugh from Edward after that thought).

"Nice to meet you." I said with a partially forced smile. It wasn't that I wasn't glad to meet them, but I still felt so damn uncomfortable in a room full of such statuesque vampires, something of an ugly duckling still waiting to be a swan. I looked at each face in the room, the entire family but Esme was present. I supposed the extravagant beauty fit; after all, when I thought 'vampire,' all the mental images of vampires I read about in books came to mind. Then, in a split second, the feverish eyes of the one that bit me flashed into my mind. Instantly, I cringed. Why me? Why my family? What did I do to deserve this?

Worse, what did I do to survive?

A blanket of comfort befell upon me and I made a mental note to try controlling my emotions, lest I cause Jasper any unnecessary trouble. I flashed him an apologetic look and his eyes told me it was no problem, he was accustomed to worse.

"Alice, would you show her to her room?" Carlisle requested. "The large spare upstairs next to Edward's." Joyous; I was to be next door neighbors with the one family member I was almost positive I would be the most conflicted with. But I had to grin and bear it. I was, after all, living off the Cullens' generosity, and if that meant dealing with a surly nearby resident, then so be it.

Alice led me upstairs, talking to me as I visually took in my surroundings. I hadn't had time to tour the house myself. "You came about half an hour before us, right?" I responded with a slow nod. "Well, this is your room."

It was the second-to-last room in the hall. The last, Alice said, was Edward's. I expected the room to be barren and empty, but it was actually made up pretty nice. The walls were painted turquoise, my favorite color. There was an oak wood desk with a new computer in the corner, a matching bookshelf on the adjacent wall—empty, but it would be filled soon enough with a vast collection—and a queen-sized bed with a silky black bedspread and pillows. Across from the bed was a small bureau, made of oak wood as well, with a singular drawer over a small cabinet. On the wall above it hung a 32" plasma television set. To the right side of my bed was a doorway leading to my closet. It was large enough to be a decent guest room, but according to Alice was the smallest in the house. Immediately to my left were hooks that held a collection of styled headbands ("Your favorite accessory, right?"), to the right was a body-sized mirror. The racks inside were filled with hung blouses and a few dresses, jeans. At the bottom were small shelves filled with a plethora of shoes. The further end held drawers that encased my 'intimates.'

"Esme did the decorating." Alice chirped as we exited my closet. "I picked out all your clothes."

"Thanks." I said gratefully, but not enthusiastically. I stuffed my hands into the pockets of my jeans; brand-new, brought to me by Carlisle before I left the hospital. The clothes I was found in, he said, were so unsightly soiled that, if he had let me arrive at his house in them, Esme nor Alice would ever let him hear the end of it. "How long ago did you see me coming?"

"I saw Carlisle meeting you at the hospital about a week ago." She said. It fit. "I didn't see you actually joining the family until a few days later when Carlisle told you about us. He decided then that maybe it'd be best you stay here. For a few days, your decisions alternated between staying and leaving at the first chance you got. Ultimately, you decided to at least meet us first."

I shrugged, gesturing that she was right. After expressing her hope that I liked my new room, Alice left, and I sunk into the sheets of my bed. Maybe living with the Cullens wouldn't be so bad.

* * *

In typical Emily fashion, I argued and argued with Carlisle to allow me to attend school. The argument was mostly one-sided as I seemed to be the only one fighting. Eventually, my will power moved him to give me a chance. So a week later, I experienced my first day at Forks High School. My presence was instantly noticed. Their previous new kid had been Isabella Swan just earlier that month. I was never good at being the center of attention. I had actually avoided introducing myself to my new teachers when I walked into the classroom so that I wouldn't be called up to say a few things about myself to the class. This played a part in my first social mistake: sitting with my new 'family' at lunch before anyone knew who I was.

"Everyone's staring…" I whispered shakily to them as I set my tray down. The looks the other students were giving me knocked me off my usual 'I-don't-give-a-damn' mood.

Rosalie glanced at me, a taunting smirk playing on her rose-red lips. She was about to disclose the obvious. "Nobody knows who you are yet. You haven't talked to anybody at all, have you?" I shook my head. She leaned forwards on the table, her sweet scent rushing towards my face. "You see, Emily, no one sits with us at lunch because some portion of them inside knows we're dangerous and wills them to stay away. The toss it off as our exclusive demeanor. I mean, look at us. It's practically an _honor_ to sit here." She explained. "Then, suddenly, you get here and without warning, you get to sit with us."

"But I'm a Cullen now." I arched a brow, blinking. I was registered as Emily Marie Cullen, the newest edition to the Cullen foster home.

"They don't know that yet because you haven't told them." Rosalie finished, sitting up straight in her chair.

I supposed it made sense. I didn't exactly look like a Cullen just yet. My skin was still somewhat tanned and my eyes were red, unlike their amber hues. I was nowhere near as beautiful as they were, just average-looking as I had always been. With a sigh, I looked down at the tray of food, the odor of grease making the burger on it unappetizing. Not to mention I could already taste the ashes it would feel like against my taste buds. I grabbed the tray and stood up, going over to a trash bin and emptying the contents. I went back to my seat and looked around our table, noticing Edward was missing. "Where's Edward?"

"He's sitting with Bella." Alice said, glancing over at another table. And there he was, sitting with a girl with skin almost as pale as a vampire's and long mahogany hair. Her back was too me so that I couldn't see her face.

"Bella?" I inquired, glancing at the girl. It had to be Isabella Swan, the new kid before me. Edward had taken a certain interest in her, for what reason I wasn't sure. I looked at Edward. He caught and met my gaze, instantly giving me a snarl. I whipped back around and sunk into my chair. '_Well forget you too, then!_'

Emmet let out a comical laugh and looked at me. "You're going to be the odd one, aren't you?" He laughed again when I pouted and looked away. He lowered his voice so that only a vampire could hear. "You're just not used to it yet. We've been like this for over many years already, you've only been one for a couple of weeks. Give it time, you'll learn."

Reluctantly, I nodded. My next class was sophomore level English, and there I was attacked. So much for almost getting through the day without being asked questions. Though, after what Rosalie said in lunch, I knew I'd have to at least tell them who I was.

The first to approach me was a girl with dirty-blonde hair, straightened past her shoulders. Her swept bangs partially hid one of her baby blue eyes. She could be considered 'pretty,' but I lived with a family of vampires, so there was hardly any room for comparison. "Hi, I'm Sarina." She was the same height as me, but she wore four-inch heels to make her seem taller. "You're the new girl, right?"

"Emily." I stated, slowly taking my seat. I recognized her. She was in two of the four classes I had before lunch.

"Emily..?" She repeated, fishing for a last name.

Cottrell was my first instinct, as I had grown up with it. However, that would only make her furiously wonder why I was sitting with the Cullens at lunch. After a second's consideration, I replied, "Cullen."

"Oh…Oh! You're a…Cullen?" Sarina laughed in a disbelieving manner. I didn't need Edward's mind-reading ability to know that she thought I was lying. "A Cullen. How are you re-?"

"Adopted." I cut her off. "Just recent, about a week ago. That's why I was sitting with my new _siblings_ today at lunch."

"Right, of course. I'm sorry, you just look so-…" She began to apologize.

"No you're not." I narrowed my red eyes at her, seeing past her fake front. I already couldn't stand her. "I have several other classes with you and _now_ you want to talk to me? Yeah, I'm new and I sat with the Cullens for lunch, so what? Do you have to know _everyone_ in this school?"

Sarina was taken aback. "Look, _Emily_, in this school, everyone knows everyone. You're new and you don't know the rules, but that doesn't make you an exception to them. Just who do you think you are?"

"I'm Emily Cullen, _Sarina. _Now back the fuck off." And that's how Emily Cullen began the snowball that would result in her social exclusion from the entire school, and not in a good way. Sarina had them all convinced I was some sort of freak of nature by the end of the day.

By the time school let out, I was happy to reach Rosalie's convertible (Edward's Volvo was reserved strictly for him and Bella nowadays). I made it out there quicker than the others; they were in no rush to get home. I waited next to the red vehicle, slightly bouncing up and down impatiently. A moment later, I spotted Rosalie, Emmett, Alice, and Jasper coming from the school building. They walked slow, torturing me, knowing that I wanted to go home already. They were just picking on me because I was the youngest now. It seemed like an eternity before they reached me, all of them smirking at my desperate eyes pleading for them to take me home already.

"Someone's a bit anxious to go." Emmett chuckled as he went around the front of the convertible and opened the passenger's side door. "I dunno, are we forgetting anything, guys?"

Jasper laughed lightly as I narrowed my eyes at Emmett. "He's only joking, Emily." He said as he passed me and opened the door to the back seat. He held it open and gestured towards me. "Climb in."

"Thanks." I muttered, a bit annoyed at how they were treating me. I slid down to the opposite side and leaned against the door, resting my head on the back of the seat. I turned my head to look at Jasper again, who was still holding the door open for Alice. I had to smile as they peered into each other's eyes for a moment before Alice slid in as well. I envied their love for each other. Turning my head back, I let out a tired sigh.

"How did you like your first day?" Alice chimed as she slid over next to me.

"I didn't." I said in an annoyed tone. The day was a drag, I just wanted to go home. I wasn't listening to Alice as she chattered about how school would get better for me, because I knew it was just nonsense. Instead I let my mind wander, and after a while, it toed dangerously along the border that I had put up around the day of my transformation. I clenched my fist in my lap as I thought of how unfair it was. I shouldn't have been sitting in a red convertible with a bunch of vampires who I referred to as my new siblings; I should have been dead, cold, and buried in a cemetery next to my actual siblings. My eyes rose to the rearview mirror, where they caught Rosalie's hone gaze.

She seemed to know what I was thinking; my regret for what I had become. Rosalie's eyes were full of understanding for my current situation. Her eyes told a story, her story. Through her eyes, I understood how she compared to met at the time. She would later go on to tell me that she had siblings too, two younger brothers, and although they had not been killed like my younger sister and brother, she missed them just as much. And if she hadn't have been walking alone that night then maybe she would still be…alive. Albeit, she'd be very old by now, but she'd still be human.

There was a sharp pang in my heart as I kept Rosalie's gaze. She saw me and gave a very faint smile, reaching over for Emmett's hand in the front seat. My own heart went out to her completely.

"We're going to have fun tonight, Emily." Alice said, disrupting the awkward silence that had befallen the car. She had a smirk on her face as we drew closer to the mansion. I had to wonder what she meant and summed it up to the probability that she had a vision. What her vision was, I didn't know. Obviously we were going to do something that night.

Rosalie parked in the garage and we all got out and headed inside. I was the last one in, stepping inside just in time to hear Carlisle ask the others where I was. When he saw me he took no time in telling me what he had planned for me.

"Emily," he began with me. "I think it's time you go on your first hunt. Rosalie, Alice, I want you two to take her."

…Great.

* * *

**Author's Note-** Well it's that time of year again. Summertime is when my creative juices get flowing, probably because my most creative hours are between 2 and 6 AM, and summer is the only time I can actually stay up that late. Anyway, I hope you enjoy Emily's story. There's much more to come!


	3. The Hunt

**2. The Hunt**

I waited impatiently for nightfall, when Alice and Rosalie would whisk me away on an adventure to find my animal preference. I spent my time wandering aimlessly around my room; sitting at my computer desk, looking up feckless things on the internet, flipping through the channels on my television. Eventually, I spotted a pile of discarded clothes that I had worn this week. '_I should probably wash those._' I was gathering them together when I heard a knock on my door.

I turned around to see Esme standing in my doorway. "Did you need anything, Emily?" She asked sweetly. She was a fantastic mother figure, always kind and caring. It was as if she was meant to be a mother; some women weren't. My mother could never get it down just right, but at least she tried.

"Actually, where's the washer?" I asked. "I was gonna wash some of my clothes."

Esme looked past me to the clothes on the floor. For a split second, I could see the scrutinizing 'those-clothes-don't-belong-on-the-floor' look that only a mother could give, but then she looked at me with a smile and slowly shook her head. "I wouldn't worry about it, sweetie. Your sister never lets any of us wear the same thing twice, I imagine the same will go for you." It was still a little strange referring to these people as my brothers, sisters, father, and mother, whether or not I added the 'step-' prefix. "I was thinking maybe this weekend we could go to the city and buy you some books for that shelf of yours. Carlisle tells me you're always in his library. He doesn't mind sharing, but I'm sure you want your own little collection."

"Thank you." I smiled, already making a mental list of books that I wanted. I looked back at the pile of clothes still on the floor. "Should I…just throw those in the trash or something then?"

"I'll send them off to a Salvation Army later, if you'd prefer." Esme playfully said, taking a step into my room and sitting down on my bed. She patted the space next to her, gesturing me to sit. I obliged. "So tonight's your first hunt, is it? How are you feeling?"

Nervous, scared, anxious. "It'll be a piece of cake." I lied. "What's the worst that could happen; I get mauled by a bear?"

She tapped me lightly on the nose with her forefinger. "Don't joke like that," she softly chastised. "Emmett was mauled by a bear."

And I was sure he got a kick out of showing them who's boss now. "Sorry." I apologized. I looked down at my hands in my lap for a minute. "Actually," I admitted. "I'm a little edgy. Is it hard?"

"It will probably be a little awkward for you at first since you're not used to the quirks just yet, but you'll catch on." She rose from her spot and leaned over to kiss my forehead. "You'll do fine." She promised before leaving my room.

* * *

The night air would have been chilly to a normal human, but to me it was nothing. Honestly, it was nothing. I found myself missing the way an unexpected night breeze would send shivers up my spine. Now, no breeze went unexpected, nor was it cold. I could probably run out in the open stark naked and not feel cold.

The weather wasn't the only thing that was different to me. Everything was. The sounds, the feel, the scent. It was all…enhanced. The dead leaved that crunched beneath my feet, now it seemed like I could hear their very core snapping beneath my toes. The scent of trees and dry earth that I had once taken for granted, expecting it to always be there, was now gone and replaced with the scent of the trees, earth, and everything in between. I did not like this.

Alice and Rosalie were following me close behind. They let me take the lead to find some animal whose blood perked my interest. We had passed by a stream just minutes before where there were a few fish swimming by. Let me tell you, I didn't like fish when I was a human and _certainly_ don't like their blood as a vampire. So we kept going.

I refused—absolutely _refused_—to find a bear. There was no way in _hell _that I was going to wrestle with a grizzly bear. No way. Alice had assured me that I would be able to take a bear on, no problem, what with my newborn vampire strength. However, you couldn't pay me enough to _ever_ fight a bear—supernatural advantage or none. Rosalie had to laugh at me for this. After all, she had saved Emmett from a bear when she found him, most likely with ease. Still, neither of them could convince me to find and taken on a bear.

The irony of this was that we came across many bears. Mostly cubs who had wandered from their mothers. Once in a while, a full grown would rear its head. As I passed up killing a bear, Rosalie decided that she might as well have a meal while we were out there anyway. Alice followed her example soon after. Ever seen a vampire feed? It's not pretty. They're not just little puncture holes in the neck from the fangs like the movies portray. Oh no, it's brutal. However, I did get a taste of what bear blood tasted like and I didn't like it all too well either.

But it beat fish blood any day.

"Can we go yet?" I whined as we came to a stop. I turned to face my step-sisters with pleading eyes. I really just wanted to go back to the house. The more I experienced of Forks, Washington, the more I just wanted to crawl under my covers in the Cullen mansion and stay there for the rest of my eternal life.

"You're not even near full yet." Rosalie said, tossing some loose strands of that blonde hair over her shoulder. "Do you have something against killing animals to survive?"

"As a matter of fact, I do." I crossed my arms across my chest.

"The only thing standing between you and devouring that hamburger at lunch today was the fact that you knew it would taste like dirt to you now." She arched a brow at me, placing her hands on her hips. "I dare you to honestly tell me that you were some sort of animal rights advocate as a human and refused to eat meat."

I opened my mouth to make a witty comeback, but the only thing that came to mind was, "I did not kill that cow! So I would have had no problem eating it as long as _I_ didn't kill it."

"My apologies. Would you like us to kill your meals for you?" Rosalie sarcastically hissed. Okay, maybe I was getting a little aggravating. "Honestly, I thought newborns were always hungry, and when you're really hungry you'll eat anything. So why aren't you eating anything?"

Alice's giggle rang like a wind chime just after the slightest wind blows through. "You have to admit, Rose, Emily's no ordinary newborn. She's more…defiant of her thirst."

"That's because I'm not-!" I stopped mid-sentence. I meant to say that I wasn't thirsty, but a scent in the air changed my mind. It was a very appetizing scent. My mouth watered with venom as my eyes went wide with hunger. Rosalie and Alice's smirks told that they knew I had found something. Without another word, I swiftly disappeared and let my newborn instincts take over. My steps became light, unheard. My body glided swiftly through the greenery, unseen. I came to a stop without making a sound.

There it was, out in the open. It was a little small, but big enough to quench my thirst, I was sure. Grayish brown fur with black streaks along its body. It was beautiful. '_A male,_' I figured by the size. '_not yet an adult, but close enough._' His black-tipped ears were pointed in alert while he sniffed the ground for his prey. He didn't hear nor smell me, however. I was perfectly hidden within the trees.

"A bobcat." Alice whispered almost completely inaudibly behind me.

I was getting more excited by the moment, a low growl emerging from my chest. The bobcat was now just feet away from a hare, watching the poor animal, a mirror of me watching him. He was getting ready to close in for the kill, but not before I was.

It was over in an instant. I was less than a blur in the green and brown of the forest. Already, my teeth had pierced and torn through the fur and skin. The hare was still a few feet away, paralyzed in fright for just a second before it scurried away. The warm crimson liquid was like nothing I had ever tasted. I heard Rosalie and Alice walk out of the brush behind me, watching me in content. I paid virtually no attention to them as I lapped at the bobcat's blood.

Wildcats became my blood preference; tigers would later become my favorite. However, because of my implacability about feeding and constant newborn thirst continually clashing, a regular housecat would satisfy me for a while.

* * *

My newborn instincts weren't the only things I fought; giving up my humanity was another. Vampires couldn't sleep, but that didn't stop me from lying in bed every night and letting myself go off into a dreamlike state, in which I would stay for hours until morning. It seemed to work because I even had nightmares.

On the morning of June sixth, I sat up in bed and looked around my room. I tossed my legs over the right side my bed and stood up, stepping into my walk-in closet. It was time to ready myself for another torturous day of school. From the hangers, I pulled off a tight, black long-sleeved turtleneck and a pair of dark skinny jeans. I skimmed through the clothes some more to find a dark magenta-colored corset. Afterwards, I picked out a similarly colored headband from the array.

I set the clothes neatly on my bed before stripping myself of my night clothes and pulling on the turtleneck, then the corset over it. I finished tying the velvet black laces and tugged on my jeans. I placed the headband neatly into my hair and treaded back into the closet to find shoes. A pair of smoky black Converse did the trick. As I examined myself in the mirror, I brushed my bangs to the side just a bit before deciding I looked fine.

Heading downstairs, I saw that Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper, and Alice were ready to go. Edward had left to pick up Bella by then. I looked at my four step-siblings, apologizing via my eyes for taking so long. I tended to 'sleep' late. We all headed for the door, almost outside, when Carlisle stopped us. Or, me for that matter.

"Emily," he called in a serious tone. I had to groan. "Let me see your eyes." He commanded gently.

I cringed, knowing this wasn't good. I couldn't remember the last time I went for a hunt; the family was still concerned about my self-control. Though I had proved to show a valiant effort to sustain my hunger for as long as I could, Carlisle knew it wasn't healthy, and the longer I denied the thirst for blood, the more dangerous I was to society. So with a sigh, I turned to my adoptive father and trudged over to him.

He lifted my chin and looked at my eyes with his golden ones. Since it was still only a few months since my transformation, my eyes were still a bright red. Still, Carlisle had a way of telling when I hadn't fed in a while despite this. He gave a disapproving sigh and shook his head. "It's been too long since you've fed, Emily." He scolded. Though it didn't sound like that's what he was doing, I knew it was. "You shouldn't go to school today."

I huffed angrily, crossing my arms and looking at Carlisle hard. "Carlisle," I said hotly. "I thought I made it clear that I was _not_ going to let becoming a vampire interfere with my education."

"I know, Emily." Carlisle said, releasing my chin and letting his arm fall to his side. "But it can't be helped if you refuse to feed periodically, and that was the agreement. I know that inside you're dying of hunger, and should something happen at school…well, I don't want to take any chances."

"But Carlisle!" I began to protest. "Alice will be there and she won't let me do anything dangerous or stupid, right Alice?" I turned and looked at her entreatingly.

"I'd be able to see if she was going to do anything." Alice nodded.

I looked back at Carlisle with another begging look. "Just for today and I promise I'll go hunting when I come home."

Carlisle gave another sigh; I had won once again. "You will go hunting." He confirmed. It was more of an order from him than a promise from me now. "And should Alice see you doing anything rash, you will come straight home."

"Yessir." I gave a half-salute and headed back towards the door, grabbing my backpack on the way out after the other four.

The only reason I wanted to go to school was because I had two tests that I wanted to get out of the way. Still, school was as boring as ever. The same monotone teachers giving the same monotone lectures in the same boring white classrooms. I had nothing else to do but pay attention though, even though most of this stuff I had learned when I was a freshman at my previous school. I could have been doodling or something to pass the time, but as boring as my teachers were, I admit they had sharp eyes. And I didn't feel like being put in the spotlight in school if I already was at home.

I was glad when lunch finally came around, as I always was. I skipped getting my tray and headed for the table that we always occupied. The same four from that morning joined me later. Edward still preferred sitting with Bella. I had met her when Edward decided to introduce her to the family. She was…okay, but if she was as in love with Edward as she claimed to be, there _had _to be something mentally wrong with her. Last I heard, his new hobby included watching her in her sleep.

Alice walked towards the table with Jasper, a concerned look cast over her face. Something had to be wrong. She had seen something. "Em," she called quietly as she sat across from me. She leaned over the table and whispered urgently. "You need to go home."

"What?" I breathed. "Oh come on, Alice."

"Don't argue." She commanded, her face hardening. "You need to go home now."

I began to question why, but it was quite obvious. Surely she had seen me attacking someone. I sighed heavily and looked at her. "Come on, Alice, I promise I won't do anything. I can't go home just yet." I had one of my tests next period. "Alice, please, _please_, I'll stop breathing if it helps!" I begged in whispers.

Alice shook her head. She wouldn't hear of it. "I'm sorry, Emily. We can't take that chance. We promised Carlisle that we'd send you home if I saw you don't anything wrong."

"But what if we can prevent it?" I pleaded. "Alice, please!"

She shook her head again. I wasn't going to win this one. "Edward's going to take you home. We're just being safe, Emily. You agreed to it when Carlisle let you attend school as a newborn."

I gave a defeated sigh. You can't win 'em all. I knew she wasn't trying to be mean, her heart was in the right place. I just wished I didn't have to leave. Still, arguing was pointless. She would drag me out of there herself if she had to. Edward walked over to the table and wordlessly told me to follow him. And I did.

"You're quite the hassle." Edward told me as we walked out onto the parking lot. Whatever, he was just annoyed that I interrupted his Bella-time. We were on civil terms now, but we still had the annoying-sibling relationship going strong. Which was cause for my mental response, '_Funny, 'cause hassle sounds like asshole, which is what _you_ are._'

"I can't believe this." I grumbled. "'You need to go home now,' she says! I think I can control my hunger, thank you very much! I've been doing it fine for a while now."

"Still, Emily." Edward sighed, rolling his eyes. "You know the risks and agreed not to take them if they're too severe."

"Yeah, yeah." I huffed, rolling my own crimson eyes. "So how'd Bella take not being able to sit with you at lunch today? Did she profess undying love and promise to wait faithfully until you returned to her?" I teased, deciding to make idle chit chat on our way to the Volvo.

"I'm taking Emily home right now." He said instead of answering my question. In confusion, I quickly glanced at him and found he was on his cell phone, but throwing me a menacing glare at my earlier comments. He was talking to Carlisle, of course. "Yes, Rosalie and Alice said they would take her hunting tonight. Okay, she'll be there in a few minutes."

"This is ludicrous." I crossed my arms as he hung up the phone. "I hate being the baby of this family."

We were almost at the Volvo when I noticed a man walking in the opposite direction. I had never seen him before. He must have been a parent. I barely took a minute to take in his image.

He was tall with dirty-blond hair. There were just a few streaks of gray visible in there. He couldn't have been over forty-five years. He wasn't exactly muscular, but he was fit. Dressed in a gray suit, probably on his lunch hour for work. He was pale, deathly pale. Almost…no! Nonsense. I'd be able to tell if he was a…vampire. He strode in our direction, acknowledging us with a smile and a polite nod. '_What a nice gentlema-…_'

It was only a moment. Just a single moment that any trace of my humanity was lost. The moment came when the man passed right by me. Suddenly, everything in me just snapped and switched into some sort of killer mode. It happened too quickly for even Edward to react to my sudden change in thought. But what they didn't know—or perhaps Edward heard it in my thoughts—was that I didn't lunge at this man because my instincts told me I was hungry. I didn't even know why I did it, I just reacted.

I was about to flit in his direction, grab him, and rip through his skin with my teeth. Luckily, Emmett had come outside just in time.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Emmett laughed as he wrapped his arms around and took hold of me against my kicking. "Where do you think you're going?" He jokingly asked. "Come on, Emily." He lead me to Edward's Volvo where Edward was barely registering my violent thoughts. Emmett threw me into the backseat and sat next to me, blocking any possible escape. Of course, Alice had sent him.

Edward looked at me hard, partially in confusion and partially in aggravation.

Did I care about that at the moment? No. Not until I saw Edward's scolding expression did I finally calm down and realize what I had almost done. I hung my head and admitted through my thoughts that I lost control.

"Do you see now why we take precautions?" Edward questioned harshly as he looked back at me from the driver's seat.

I nodded solemnly and apologized quietly. "I don't know what came over me."

"Well it's a good thing I came out just in time, huh?" Emmett smiled and ruffled my hair slightly. "Don't worry about it, Emily. No one got hurt."

We made it home in a few short minutes and they dropped me off. Edward and Emmett went back to school, leaving me to face Carlisle and Esme on my own. And with no way to explain that it wasn't hunger that made me attack, I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Before stepping inside, I mentally prepared myself for the rain of reprimands that were sure to be hurled at me.


End file.
